In this article, I’m going to figure out the top 5 advantages of using a VPN. Recently the talk around Virtual Private Network (VPN) has increased in intensity. This is happening because there are more and more restrictions and privacy concerns for Internet users, with websites blocked by their governments, cybernetic attacks and what not. In these conditions, VPNs are increasing in popularity but they’re still not a common software and many people are reticent about installing and using one. We’re going to explore the main advantages you get by using a VPN and, along the way, help you better understand what such a software does.
5 Advantages of Using A VPN
#1. Increased Browsing Privacy
Without a doubt, the biggest advantage you get by using a VPN service is the added layer of security it brings for your personal information. If you were on the street, you surely won’t be walking with your ID and wallet hanging in plain site for everyone to see and reach, right? Well, that should also be true when you’re navigating online. Even though it might sound like a bit of an exaggeration, you can consider the internet to be a lawless den with a lot of hidden eyes that can be watching at any time. A VPN helps you put on an invisibility cloak and an extra layer of security for all your personal information when navigating the internet. Sure, you’re never 100% covered, however, it’s definitely better than nothing.
#2. VPN Helps You Bypass Geographic Restrictions
Sadly, borders do not only apply to the physical environment out there, they seem to also apply online. For a service that’s supposed to help everyone get connected, that’s at least unpleasant. How many times weren’t you able to enjoy a good online session of Wheres the Gold pokies because the publisher didn’t make it available in your country or how frustrating it is that you can’t watch Netflix?
Using a VPN can take all that away and allow you to enjoy the Internet at its full power with no blocks or restrictions and this can be extremely helpful from a huge number of perspectives.
#3. VPNs Helps You Bypass ISP Bandwidth Throttling
It’s no secret that Internet Service Providers are in the game to make money. One of the most common methods used to boost their profit is limiting your internet speed when you’re using certain sites. A good example in that direction is streaming sites that take up a lot of bandwidth. Since an ISP wants to keep their network clear of any heavy load that might slow things down for everyone, your connection gets throttled. Using a VPN will hide your activity and the ISP won’t be able to know that you’re streaming video or accessing a specific site so you can enjoy the full bandwidth of your Internet connection.
#4.VPNs Provide Enhanced Security
In the first paragraph we mentioned privacy and there are a lot of users out there that think privacy and security are synonyms. Sure, it helps you be safer if your personal data isn’t available for anyone, however, security is about much more than that. Say you’re travelling a lot and using many Wi-Fi networks that you can’t be 100% sure of. When you’re using a VPN, all the data you’re sending and receiving has an extra layer of encryption, making it harder for any cyber-attack or hacker to access your credit card details when you pay online or accessing any other sensitive data about you.
#5. Tracker and Ad Blocking
Some VPNs also offer built-in malware, tracker and ad blockers in their services. Sure, there are a lot of dedicated extensions and software to block ads and protect you from trackers and adware, however, having everything in one place is a lot more convenient. Another plus for using a VPN that also comes with ad and tracker blocking comes from the fact that the block is done at a DNS level, not just blocking the ads from being displayed on the page.